Of Flags And Of Races

Over the past weeks for those who have been keeping up with news, the Confederate flag has been under fierce debate. Some claim it to be racist, others regard it as symbol of the good Ol' South. However, the main cause of the argument lies in ignorance. If people would dig deeper they would fine some interesting facts about the North and South. In understanding the roots of the Confederate flag it's important to understand the American Civil war. 

1.The Confederate flag came about when the American Civil War started.

 A terrible time when America the land of the brave and free was divided. To think that America was divided is horrible.  

2.The victor writes the history books.

 So with the Union winning, they demonized the Confederate side.

3.The war was never fought over slaves

 While many seem to believe that the Confederate flag means racism because they have been taught that the Confederates were fighting for slavery while Union forces where fighting for freedom, it is sadly just an ideal. Although, many historians argue to the fact whether slavery was the main cause, many believe, it was only a factor, and if anything a side fact that started a war. Some historians will even go one further that it was never about slavery, but rather money.

4. The North was cracking down on slaves not because of belief but to gain advantage over the South

Taking the high moral ground the North banned slavery because they could afford "legal" slavery through cheap German and Irish immigrant servants. While the South could barely even afford slaves, and what slaves they had would be less than twenty at most on each plantation.

5.Confederates were nothing like Nazis or ISIS. 

Why? Because they don't kill people in mass and don't destroy whole countries. Rather the Confederates were just a bunch of farmers who had slaves which was bad, and not all had them. Not everyone was racist or mistreated they're slaves. In fact it wouldn't make sense to mistreat them as they were a valuable commodity. Sad but true.

While slavery is bad, the Confederate flag was never about racism. It was about fighting against a government that was trying to crack down on them. And in modern times, for people now it represents being a rebel sometimes, but also freedom from people who would take over things: They're privacy, they're freedom of speech and who they really are. The war was messy and like everything in war people made mistakes and terrible things happened, but the flag does not, and should not ever represent racism. Although, some may think it does or some idiots may use it for their nefarious purposes, it is not so. Furthermore, to be pedantic, in a sense really, both supported slavery, for only years later did America finally achieve true freedom for all races.